as the rhetorical war shifted from the white house to baltalfield, president obama took the rare step of granting an interview to "meet the press" which took place this morning. >> you signed the legislation setting up the legislation 17 months ago. how accountable are you for the fact that washington can't get anything done and we're at this deadline, again? >> i have to tell you, david. if you look at my track record over the last two years, i cut spending by over $1 trillion in 2011. >> joining us now to examine the david gregory interview and the coverage of this fiscal cliff showdown. bob cusack manager of "the hill." what does it say about the state of the budgetary wars that president obama chose to go on a sunday talk show. >> he is doing this interview why congress is trying to do it. very critical of congress and i think this interview wasn't exactly combative. he challenged him on it. >> who challenged who? >> david gregory challenged obama on some points but made $1 trillion in cuts, he also vowed to cut the deficit in half in 2009. that has not happened. >> compared david